<p>We just recevied a FAFSA Award letter from College A. We are visiting College B this weekend for a FAFSA workshop. Can we or should we bring the award letter from College A to College B, hoping that they will "beat" College A's offer ? Is this something people do ?</p>
<p>I am not sure what a “FAFSA Workshop” is… but it seems to make more sense to me to wait and see what College B gives you, then ask them to match A if A is better. Otherwise if they see A first, maybe that is the most you will get (and you might have done better without showing them!). Just basic negotiating tactics, IMHO.</p>
<p>Colleges do sometimes match aid from other schools. Usually they will ask if you have clarifying info on your finances that will help them get to the “better” number you want to reach. But it does not hurt to ask. </p>
<p>If there is a merit component involved, it then depends on whether College A and College B are really comparable (eg, a #25 ranked LAC will not try to match the merit aid offered by a #60 ranked LAC – but if the two colleges were quite close in rankings, they might do so).</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Have you been accepted to college B?</p></li>
<li><p>Have you received a finacial aid offer from college B?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Colleges are not in the business of “beating another school’s offer.” Unless #1 & 2 have both happened, then you have nothing to discuss. There is a possiblity that you will not be accepted to college B, you may receive an offer from college b that will make talking to them about the offer you got from college a moot.</p>
<p>Well that makes total sense. Thanks for the quick response. We’ll wait.</p>
<p>Sybbie719, yes we were accepted to A and B, it’s just that B hasn’t sent us an award letter yet.</p>
<p>If you want to bring the letter in case there is an opening when it may be appropriate to take it out and show, that’s fine. But as others have said, you don’t know what B is going to offer yet, and that could be a .limiting factor rather than a helpful one. Also, are there any other schools in the mix?</p>
<p>cptofthehouse , Yes , waiting to hear on admissions from C, D and E.</p>
<p>You might want to wait until all offers are on the table. You will do the best with two like schools, and if you truly want to go to a school, but it’s the money that is a sticking point.</p>
<p>Will do, cptofthehouse. Thanks</p>
<p>Hmmm … have you already filed your FAFSA? Why are you going to a FAFSA workshop? In my experience, FAFSA workshops are intended to assist families in filling out the FAFSA.</p>
<p>And no, I doubt it will do any good to bring an award letter from another school. The person running the workshop is there to answer questions related to their aid program - what you want him/her to do is not appropriate for that type of meeting.</p>
<p>I think OP meant to say “financial aid” award letter and “financial aid” workshop, not “FAFSA”. (A FAFSA award would be the same at every school.)</p>